The new World Cup 'Smart Ball' is not actually very intelligent

FIFA unveiled their new 2018 World Cup match ball late last year to much fanfare, with much press heralding it as a smart ball … but how just how intelligent is it really?

2018/02/21

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MOSCOW — The official World Cup match ball has a built-in chip that links up with users' smartphones.

According to FIFA, the Adidas Telstar 18 features a near-field communication (NFC) chip. When the ball is tapped by a smartphone, it'll show users personalized content. This feature is designed for consumer use and not World Cup matches.

The Telstar 18 is also made up of six thermally bonded panels, each layered with a 3D-textured surface. This is said to provide players with greater control in different weather conditions.

The ball's design is based on the iconic black and white Telstar ball from the 1970 World Cup ball.